Levels 1, 2 & 3
We have officially started production and in the first week I made the first 3 levels. The first day proved difficult as the mechanics we had decided for the first city didn’t feel right to be introductory mechanics for the game. Also, the aesthetic of the city was proving hard to work with. For this reason we had a meeting on Tuesday and decided to drop the predefined city themes and mechanics, instead we defined what mechanics would be engaging and fun to have in the game. Then we divided them to be introduced little by little on a level. With this defined We will define what each level aesthetic is going to be based on what mechanics it has.
After Tuesday's meeting the first levels were easier to make than I initially expected. I used what I had learned with the prototypes of what makes a good introduction to a mechanic to make small and concise maps that teach a mechanic.
As for all previous maps I’m making the “paper prototypes” before doing anything inside the game engine. In my case I use krita by zooming into the drawing space until I can see the pixels. I use pink to indicate the player’s spawn position, yellow to paint the “1 tempo tiles” for the player to move, desaturated orange for the “½ tempo tiles”, for the button and door a use 2 color ciel of similar hue but different tone and for the “single direction tile” I use blue and on a notepad I have written down what that direction is supposed to be. All of this is drawn in the same layer, while the enemies I draw on their own layer using the color red.
In level 1 we introduce the player to the controls and the doors unlocked by buttons. We chose this mechanic because we want to give the player as early as possible the feeling of having an effect on the map. This is the shortest level that only asks the player to be able to move and understand how to use the doors.
For level 2 we introduce the “½ tempo tiles” and the “single direction tile”. We introduce the “½ tempo tiles” before there are enemies to allow the player to get used to moving faster without any compromise. The single directional tiles are introduced here to allow the player to have the time to understand one of the mechanics that isn’t as intuitive. This level is a bit larger and presents the first real challenge of the game even if it is a simple one. Also we use what the player learned before, asking them to use it again.
In level 3 we present the player with danger for the first time. We decided to use the “patrolling enemies” first because they are easier to understand and it’s easier to use them to create low difficulty challenges. This map has 2 possible roads, in each one offering a different challenge which is going to be my philosophy going forward when creating branching paths. The route to the south has the lower density of enemies of the 2 routes but uses the “½ tempo tiles ” and “single directional tiles”. The route to the north has a higher density of enemies and presents the player with several narrow spaces. I use the proximity to the starting area, the player's field of vision and the lines created with the floor to guide the player towards the south area first as I think it offers the most digestible introduction to the enemies. In case they choose the north route first, they can use their knowledge to speedrun the south route and once it is finished it leaves them on the entrance to the exit route.
Even when the start of the production of the game was found with difficulties, the fact that we identified them early and fixed them at that moment allowed us to to not lose precious time trying to make something work. Also, the previous experience making the prototypes allowed me to expedite the design of the first levels, as these were essentially a divided tutorial. I had planned to take at between 1 and 2 weeks per map, but given the pacing I’m going at we will have to redo the planning. I’m aware that future maps will take more time as I’m venturing into unknown grounds, but I still think all the previous experience and extra time I’m putting into this project will allow me to create maps faster than previously expected.
Next week I’ll be working on map 4 and if time is good with me, also map 5.
